Cruel summer
by kennieb
Summary: It's two days after leaving Hogwarts harry is having dreams are worse and he's falling in love for the first time. I'v had several request to put the story up here so I will the Story is smoking hot On HarryPotterFanfiction.com


Cruel Summer  
Written By Kennei b(  
  
Edited By Julianna  
  
Based of characters From JK Rowlings Harry potter Series  
  
Harry sat up in his bed at the Dursleys. It had only been two days since term had ended and he was back in his prison home. The Dursleys took to heart what had been threatened to them. Harry was left alone, which wasn(t better than being treated like the ugly step child. No one ate with him, not even cooked for him, which sank him deeper into depression.  
  
He had woken from the same dream that haunted him for a week. The pain of his own stupidity. At first when he talked the Dumbledore, his pain lightened. With his practice of Occlumency his dream got clearer he was able to see everything that happened it the battle. Harry got up from his bed wiped his tear soaked eyes.  
  
"Why me," He ground his teeth a little.  
  
"Ow..." called Hedwig from her cage. She wanted out of her cage and Harry didn(t care what his uncle thought.  
  
"Ok. I(ll let you out." Harry opened her cage but she didn(t move out of the cage she just stuck out her foot for him to put a letter.  
  
"No one wants to know my problems."  
  
"Ow!" She called a little louder causing Dudley to toss in his bed.  
  
"Fine. You can sit with me while I write." He put his arm out and she hopped out of the cage to land on his arm. She quickly crawled up his arm and sat on his shoulder, and flapped her wings twice as she almost fell off his shoulder. "I know I(ll write Hermione." She snipped at his hair. "She(s the only one that might be able to understand." She flapped her wings again slapping him in the head twice. Harry looked at her. "Ron will think I(m being a big baby." She shook her head agreeing with him. Something he had thought she had done back in his forth year when he didn(t want to use her to send a letter to his Godfather. Then she shook her head no. Like he was thinking the wrong thing again.  
  
"Please, sir," Harry quickly turned around to see Dobby standing behind him.  
  
"Hi, Dobby, it nice to see you again." Harry smiled then turned to the half way back to his desk.  
  
"Sir... " Dobby started but wasn(t able to finish.  
  
"Dobby, if you(re to be my friend, you are never to address me like that again." Harry turned to face him again. "I want you to call me Harry. Friends call me Harry."  
  
"It(s an honor to be considered your friend even though I(m not worthy."  
  
"Dobby, you have been there for me even in my fourth year with the gilly weed and then with the room. With out that room, Ron and Hermione might be dead now." Harry turned back to his desk. "Come sit over here. Hedwig wants me to write a letter but she won(t let me write Ron or Hermione."  
  
"She wants you to write Ginny."  
  
"Why would she want me to write her. Isn(t she mad at me anyway."  
  
"No, and use this. The headmaster gave this to make sure you write letters on this. He charmed it so that only the person that you want to read it can read it."  
  
"Dobby, thanks tell Dumbledore thanks. I(ll use it wisely. Dobby, why are you still wearing all those hats and socks?"  
  
"I(m only weaning three of each. I like the way they feel on my head and feet. Hermione has give so many of them that I have to wear them three at a time to make sure I wear them all once a month."  
  
Then Harry got an idea. He couldn(t go into wizard areas, that was an direct order from Dumbledore, but Dobby could.  
  
"Dobby, could you do me a favor? I need some muggle money. And I(m flat broke here. My uncle demands that I start chipping in around here, and I think he(s right. It(s not cheap buy food and things and I want to get Hermione and Ron something nice for once this year." He took his quill in his hand and began to write to the head of Gringotts bank.  
  
"I would be honored to go on an adventure for you s-Harry." Harry looked back at him cross eyed.  
  
"Go invisible and make sure no one sees you." Harry thought for moment. "Do you want my cloak?"  
  
"No s- Harry I(m a house elf." Dobby snapped his finger and blinked out. " Like this not even Mad Eye can see me." Dobby snapped his finger again and blinked back on. "Give me your request and write Ginny like Hedwig wants. I think she(s getting mad s- Harry" Harry rolled up the parchment and handed to dobby. "Harry, my best and most humble friend, has made Dobby a most honorable house elf. Dobby is pleased." Harry thought for a moment that he was going to cry. Then he blinked him self away.  
  
Harry turned bake to the parchment that Albus had given him and wrote her name  
  
Ginny,  
  
Hi, just though I would write I(m not sure why but Hedwig wont let me write anyone else.  
  
At that she bit him on the ear. He looked at her and then erased the last line.  
  
Hi, it(s me Harry. Sorry this feels a bit weird. I(m not sure how I should write. I haven(t got a clue anymore. I afraid to write Ron or Hermione right now, and you(re the only other person that has actually show any real interest in how I was.  
  
Harry stopped for a moment, not sure why he had wrote the last statement, took out his wand and started to erase what he had just written when Hedwig bit his ear again. "Alright I(ll leave it. She(ll probably end up hating me anyway.(  
  
As you could guess I(m still not sleeping well. The Dursleys leave me alone and I stay by myself. It(s almost like no one wants to even talk to me anymore. The Dursleys are afraid to even look at me. Like I(m some kind of death charm. If it wasn(t for Dobby I wouldn(t have talked to anyone in two days. Dobby(s the one that gave me this parchment. If you have any idea of how to get these damn dreams out of my head, please let me know.  
  
Harry  
  
Hedwig instantly stuck out her leg for him to tie the letter, which he did. After watching the ink disappear, Harry took her over to the windows and she took off with a whirl.  
  
*****  
  
Ginny woke to a tapping on the window. First she wiped her eyes and looked at her clock. Three twenty five in the morning. Then she heard the taping on the window again. She was surprised to see Hedwig at her window. She jumped out of her bed and headed to the window. Hedwig fluttered over to her bed. Ginny was wearing a long white night gown with little flowers all over it. It was her favorite night gown. She had had it since she was twelve. And she had starting to grow out of it even more in the past few months. Her figure had begun to take shape over the last year but more so in the last month. She was sure that no one had noticed, and that(s really why Michael dumped her. She untied the letter for Hedwig and patted her on the head. She had expected Hedwig to take off right away but she stayed right on the bed. She sat on top her bed and unrolled the letter. She read it, then looked at Hedwig. She could see where he had erased part of the message at first and then rewrote it. She sat there thinking about what he had written. She didn(t know what to say to him. He was right. She cared deeply for Harry(s well being. After first year when she had nearly gotten him killed she was sure that Harry wanted nothing to do with her. That(s when her crush on him died. Now she wasn(t sure what to think, a midnight letter from Harry was new. No one had ever written to her in the middle of the night. In fact, Luna was the only one that wrote to her outside the family. She jumped off the bed and sat down at the ugly old desk and pulled out a quill and parchment. Hedwig flutter over and landed on her shoulder. "How am I to write him, he(s Harry Potter." Hedwig leaned over and tenderly rubbed her head against Ginny(s.  
  
Harry, This is a great surprise. As far as the dreams, the only thing I can tell you is try and think of what you love or what brings you joy. It(s what the headmaster had me do after my first year. I thought of my mom and dad and how happy they were when I was alright. She picked up the quill as the memories of the time came back to her. She couldn(t believe she had forgotten. At first she thought of her mom and dad. But the night sweats and dreams caused her to lose twenty pounds. She didn(t get better until Ron sat with her a month latter and told her exactly how Harry had come out of the Chamber holding her in his arms. He was dirty, bruised, and hurt badly. How He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had near drained all her life force from her body when Harry finally killed the basilisk, and in desperation he had figured out how to save her. She could remember just what Ron had said.  
  
"Ginny, think about it for a moment, he doesn(t hate you. He(s bigger then I am, he actually cares more then he will ever say. I(m your brother. I(m sure that if I would have been in his place I would have crumbled under that pressure. It(s like anything that has to be done... When I play chess I only play as well as my heart wants. I don(t care about the game. I don(t do well. To fight Vold- and walk away, he must care a lot. The first time he fought him, he was alone and he nearly died. Sorry, no one(s supposed to know that." It was that one thought that stopped the dreams. *To know that Harry cared that much.*  
  
She started to cry ashamed to think that she had forgotten and had let him suffer all last year alone. When he need someone that much. Hedwig rubbed her head against Ginny(s again, and cooed softly. She smiled a little knowing that it was Harry(s owl that was comforting her.  
  
Alright the truth. I don(t know how this is going to help you but seeing how happy my mom and dad was did help a little but it then it got worse. Riddle was trying to come back into my head. My nightmares were so bad. He kept trying to force me to realize no one cared. That no one desired to live like I did. He wanted me to help him, he showed me horrible things. My mom said that I lost twenty pounds in two weeks. I think every body was scared out of their minds. The wizards that Dumbledore sent to help me were making me weaker. Then Ron came and talked to me. He told me how that fake Lockhart was trying to run away and you forced him to help. How you wouldn(t stop no matter how much your life was in danger. How you cared so much that you would risk you life to save me. The thought about how much your cared stopped the nightmares.  
  
She stopped writing for a moment wiped the tears from her eyes and began to sob more.  
  
I think that over time I had grown so accustom to you caring so that I lost sight of that feeling. It had grown from the exception to the rule, and I forgot and moved on. Harry, you need to try and think about who cares about you that much. XOX Ginny  
  
Hedwig stuck her leg out as Ginny wiped her eyes. She was crying so much that some of the tears has dropped on the parchment. She tied the parchment to Hedwig(s leg and gave her a kiss with her tender lips. "Take care of Harry for us, he(s all we got."  
  
Ginny slowly slipped into her bed. Harry wouldn(t leave her mind. The memories of how he kept snapping at everyone. He was wearing his heart on his sleeve and everyone was taking cheap shots at him, and how he had risked his life for her. How Luna had stuck up for Harry class after class and she had said nothing and done nothing. Tears that flooded her eyes continued until she slipped off into her dreams  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Harry was laying in his bed still he had slept a little since writing the letter to Ginny. But the dream had awaken him as it had earlier. He wanted to scream, to break things The one person that he need the most was gone, he had no one left. The Dursleys was all the family that he had left. *Mom, dad dead. Godfather, dead. Why couldn(t Dumbledore wait three more seconds until Voldemort started the curse. He would be dead and with his mom and dad and godfather.* This was the first time that he actually wished that Dumbledore hadn(t have saved him. He laid in his bed, his stomach was rumbling, and he was hungry but knew that it was still early and didn(t want to wake anyone, even the Dursleys. Harry turned over and practiced his Occlumency and fell back to sleep.  
  
Dawn had arrived and passed. Hedwig sat at the edge of his bed waiting quietly for him to wake.  
  
Then a light knock came on his door, instantly waking him. (Boy come out,( his uncle said in a mellow tune.  
  
Harry sat up and looked at Hedwig. "Hi Hedwig." He patted her on the head. (I(ll be down in a moment.( He also notice a small sack on his bed beside him. When he picked it up he figured that it was from Dobby by the jingle that it made when he picked it up. He set it back down and took the parchment off Hedwig(s leg and she flew back to her perch. He unrolled the parchment and read the letter that she had written to him.  
  
He got up from his bed amazed about everything that she had written. It made him feel better knowing that he was able to help her some way. He rolled the parchment back up and put it on the inside of his desk. He then took half of the money out of the bag and stuffed it into his pocket and headed down stairs.  
  
Vernon, was sitting in his new easy chair watching the news on his twenty inch TV. Petunia was still in the kitchen with Dudley.  
  
"Boy, do you remember what I said to you on the way back? Well, let me give you the whole low down. Drill hasn(t been very good for a while now the economy is terrible. I hate to say it but you(re going to need to help out around here. Dudley is only getting a small birthday this year. He doesn(t know it yet so please don(t make it worse on him. He(s also got to get a job. Do you think that you will be able to handle a hundred dollars a month room and board?"  
  
Harry was puzzled by the tune that he was talking to him. It was almost like he was an equal. He wondered just how much he knew about what had happened. "Do you have any friend that might need some help?"  
  
Uncle Vernon looked a little surprised. He had expected Harry to act up the way Dudley had. "Actually I do. I(ll call him this afternoon and see if he still needs a gardener. I was going to have Dudley go to him but since he can(t act like a man I(ll give you a shot."  
  
"I think I should send a note to the headmaster."  
  
"I already talked to him before you came back. He wasn(t thrilled about it but he thought it was good for you to know how hard it is at times for us." Harry gave him a puzzled look. "Harry, I know how things have been in the past, I was hard on you because you needed it. You(re a Wiz- Wiz- You know what I mean. I don(t know anything about it and I don(t like it, it(s not natural. Go on and get something to eat and go back to your room.( Harry left the living room and headed into the kitchen. Dudley was spooning mounds of eggs and bacon into his face. Harry walked over to the toaster and put in two slices of bread. His aunt was stirring clear of him and made sure she didn(t look at him.  
  
"Aunt, may I have some orange juice."  
  
She quickly whipped around and stared at him. "You should be turning the tap water into wine for us." "Sorry,( Harry said, choking back tears.  
  
"Look little Potter is about to cry," Dudley screamed.  
  
Anger boiled up in him, sure it was true and he didn(t like it. He had to learn to control his feelings or the next time it might Ginny. *Why did I think of her first, what is going on.* Harry thought to himself and didn(t look at Dudley or his aunt.  
  
Dudley grumbled about getting a job, and by the time he was done Harry was glad to have him leave the room only to hear him whine about getting a job to Vernon. Harry pulled a ten pound note out of his pocket and crumpled it up. His aunt was smoking at the porch screen door, something he hadn(t seen her do in years. Harry finished his plate and tossed it in the trash. Making sure that his aunt wasn(t looking when he tossed the ten behind the toaster.  
  
"Aunt, I(m sorry I didn(t died with my parents," Harry said lowly and ran up into his room. He didn(t care if she heard him or not. He was growing tired of how he had to live. Harry took the money bag and put it under his bed not knowing it was the first place that anybody would look for his money. He never had much money. The only time he was able to buy anything muggle was when he was five and found a shilling and bought a pack of gum.  
  
"Ow." Hedwig called as he laid back in his bed and started to daydream. After Harry laid there for twenty minute Hedwig flew out of her cage and landed on Harry. His eyes were puffy and red. She flew off his chest and out the window. Harry rolled over to the wall of his bed covered his head with a pillow and closed his eyes and ground his teeth. He was laying there trying to think about what Ginny had wrote, who cares about him that much that they would stand up for him. He was drawing a blank.  
**** Ginny woke at seven in the morning. She realize instantly that the pillow was soaked and she had been cry most of the night. She got up and sat an the dresser and looked in the mirror. She pulled her red hair back using her comb and pulled the knots out, she wanted to hack most of it off but her mother refused to let her. She said that the beauty of a lady is judged by the length and the quality of her hair. When she was young she bought into it. She quickly put on her foundation. She didn(t want Ron, Fred or George giving her any problems about crying and her eyes were red. She put on some heavy eye shadow but it only made the redness of her eyes stand out. She wiped off the makeup and decided not to go down for breakfast. She wasn(t hungry anyway.  
  
She got up and went to he desk pulled out a parchment and quill. She sat there for a moment and trying to decided how to write.  
  
Hermione, Hi how are you? I(m sorry that I haven(t written to you in a while. But something happened last night and being that you are one of Harry(s best friends I decided I need to write to you. Harry wrote to me last night. Hedwig woke me in the middle of the night, with a letter from Harry. I was shocked beyond belief. I don(t think he(s getting better, in fact I(m pretty sure I didn(t help matters better. He was asking me how I got over the problem I had in my first year. I couldn(t believe that I had forgotten how he risked everything to save me. How he had cared that much was what helped me. Could you please write him or something? I(m really worried about him.  
  
Ginny  
  
Ginny rolled up the parchment as started to head towards Ron(s room when Hedwig landed outside her room. She quickly opened the window hoping to see a letter from Harry but there was nothing. Her mouth dropped, there was nothing on Hedwig. Hedwig flew in and landed on the bed. Ginny sat down beside her and started to put the letter on her leg but Hedwig pulled her leg away. (I know you want me to write to Harry. I(m not sure what to write. Take this to Hermione while I write to Harry.( Hedwig hopped away as she moved closer. "Alright I(ll use Pigwigdeon to send it to Hermione, and you can wait till I get a letter written to Harry. I(m not sure what I(m going to write him," Ginny said as she got up and headed for Ron(s room again.  
  
A few minutes latter she returned without the letter to Hermione. She was thankful that Ron wasn(t in his room. She went right to her desk where Hedwig had already flown, and was waiting for her to start.  
  
Harry, I(m sorry about last night. I couldn(t help myself. It was the first time that you wrote me anything, I was in shock of what you had asked. But enough about that I just wrote he-  
  
Hedwig squawked Ginny looked up at Hedwig. "Since when did owls learn how to read? Did you have Harry erase what he started with last night?" Hedwig didn(t move. Ginny erased the last fragment of a sentence.  
  
Like you were last night I(m not sure what to write. There are so many things running through my head right now. I hope that you are alright. I think I know what your going threw when the chamber thing was going on. It nearly tore me in half. Having people saying that it was you. Then to having Riddle screwing with my brain. Just be glad that your not a girl. Ron has been practicing Quidditch all the time. Mom and Dad are mostly doing things for the Order. I stay home with Ron, George, or Fred, then take turns running the joke shop, which is going rather well. They hired two wizards to help make items. Harry, is there another reason that you decided to write me? Are you afraid that Ron won(t take you serious or that Hermione will take you too serious? Ron thinks she spends too much time writing to Viktor, and that(s because he(s nuts about her. He(ll never admit it. I hope it doesn(t drive the two of them further apart. I watched them at the ball and he eyed her everywhere that she went. Enough about the two of them. Harry, I(m going to ask you this and please don(t be mad. Why didn(t you give me a thought after Cho, well, turned you down for the Tri-Wizard ball? Sometimes I feel like people were passing me over like I am some kind of ugly step child.  
  
Please hurry and write me back. XOXO Ginny  
  
She rolled up the parchment and tied it to Hedwig and she flew out of the room. Ginny quickly changed her clothes and re-brushed her hair, which was now down to the middle of her back. She looked at the mirror and realize what she had just wrote and sank into the chair. She sat there for a few more moments and then went down stairs to face the other Weasleys.  
  
**** Harry got back out of bed and half an hour after Hedwig had flown off. Harry had thought that she had gone of hunting. He was reviewing his potions book wondering how he was ever going to be good enough to be an Auror. He was sure that after what he had seen in the pensive Snape would never let him into his classroom. But he knew he need to master potions and there was one way out of this mess. He pulled out his quill and started to write.  
  
Professor Snape, I sorry, and I know that you will never forgive me, I know why you hate me and I don(t blame you if you wished that Voldemort would have finished the job a few weeks ago. So here it goes, I can(t promise you anything you don(t already have. I(m learning from my mistakes. Please allow me to continue my potions lessons next year if my O.W.L.(s are high enough. Harry P.S. Don(t hate me because I(m a Potter. Hate me because I(m me.  
  
Harry rolled up the parchment and took out another one.  
  
Ron, Well, how are you? My uncle wants me to get a job, and for once I(m actually looking forward to doing what he asks. I figure some good hard work will help me control myself. How is Ginny, George, Fred, Arthur, and Molly? Feels strange writing it that way. I haven(t been able to sleep much but thinking about you and Hermione help me get through the night. So are you and Hermione an item yet? I think if you ask her she would. It(s not like you(re the one that everyone has to protect. Sometimes I don(t know what to do. I screwed up with Cho, and I really liked her. I guess it(s just part of my cursed life. Dobby dropped by last night. If you hear from Hermione before I do, tell her not to make anymore hats. Dobby(s already got a month supply. Do you think that Dumbledore will get the ban lifted me and your brothers? I don(t like the idea of never being able to play again. Have you heard anything new about the Order? Write soon, Harry  
  
Harry rolled the parchment up and took out another parchment. When Hedwig came flying into the room with a new parchment.  
  
"Well, you(ve been busy," he said noticing that his mood had turned. Harry unrolled the parchment, and was stunned at first. "Why did you go and bother her again? I don(t think I can read another one of her letters again." She screamed and Harry began to read. *I didn(t know Riddle had been messing with her head. I thought she had blacked out.* Then he stopped reading nearly at the end. *Why would she ask him that?* She must have had no clue to how many girls had turned him down.. And at that time girls wasn(t even an idea he thought about. That thought grabbed him and he wondered why even Longbottom talked about girls back in their fourth year.  
  
He took out another parchment.  
  
Ginny, Bare with me, it not easy for me to talk about things like this, as for me not asking you, I wanted to but Hermione said that you were going with Neville. The second I was afraid of it. I don(t know why I(m just not good with that. I think it(s hard for me. I make friends easily and things like that. It(s just that I don(t know what to say. I feel like I(m so alone. I would give anything in the world to trade places with you or Ron. To have parents that are there. Most people take for granted just the simple things like being kissed good night. I lay in bed, going to sleep, trying not to think of not having any of it. Sorry I can(t write anymore Harry  
  
Hedwig jumped off the desk, Harry had started to wad the parchment. Hedwig pulled it out of his hands and flew out of the window. Harry chased after her and before he knew it he had his wand out and was starting to use magic. *It(s too late and I don(t want anyone having a reason to really kick me out.* Harry returned to his desks. His legs were aching like never before. He though that this was what real growing pains were. He had never had his body aches before. He pulled out his potions book again and studied for another hour.  
  
Chapter 3 : Is any body out there  
  
"Harry," came a wrap on his door. "Mr. Johnson will be expecting you in a hour," came Uncle Vernon(s voice through the door. " I(ll pull you up a map on the computer and you should be able to walk there in half and hour."  
  
Harry opened his door right away. He was actually looking forward to getting his hands dirty. "I(ll be down after I put on my shoes. How much do you need a month? Er.. I was hoping to buy myself some clothes." Harry had grown so much is his fifth year that his pants were now two inches over his ankles.  
  
Vernon quickly noticed how ratty his cloths looked and smiled. "Well I was thinking if you could keep up with the hundred a month that I said earlier, it should be fine."  
  
"Sir, not trying to be rude but you might want to make sure that no one snoops around in my room I(m sure that the headmaster has sent someone to put up wards to protect the room and my items from tampering." Vernon(s eyes grew wide at this. "No matter what you think of me I don(t want to see people get hurt for no reason. I don(t even know what they(ve done."  
  
Ten minute later Harry appeared in the living room. He didn(t make a sound, he knew that he had to be on his best behavior. Everyone was watching Millionaire. "Excuse me but do you have that map Sir," Harry(s voice was all choppy.  
  
Nobody looked away from the TV. Vernon just held his hand up which had a folded up map in it. He quickly walked over to grab the paper.  
  
"Get out of my... " Dudley didn(t finish his comment when his fist hit Harry hard in the arm, knocking Harry off his feet. Before anyone could look or say anything Harry had rolled over and had his hand on his wand. His face was blood red. His knuckles were aching at his hand tightly grasped his wand wanting to pull it on Dudley. Harry stood up, looked at Vernon then back at Dudley. *Just kill him.* a voice screamed in his head . Harry felt his hand start to come out of his jacket. *Come on you stupid idiot. Kill me and get it over with* the voice screamed again in his head.*  
  
*No* he screamed back in his head. He put his wand pack into his pocket grabbed the map and stormed out of the house. Behind him he could hear his aunt laughing with Dudley. And if he wouldn(t have moved away so quickly he would have heard Vernon do something Harry would have thought impossible.  
  
As he started down the street Tonks quickly jumped out from behind a couple of bushes, scaring the daylights out of him.  
  
"It(s about time you came out of that god forsaken house," Tonks said behind him. She was dressed in muggle cloths and her hair was normal brown color.  
  
"I thought I wasn(t allowed out of the house," Harry replied as he looked at the map finding it a little further then he had expected. To make it there in half an hour he would have to pick up his pace.  
  
"Yes, you(re right, but I promised Albus that I would look after you when I had time off, and it is the weekend right." Harry looked at her think that someone as attractive as her should have been out on a date. "Well, where are we going,( she asked snapping the map out of his hand.  
  
"I got a job, I(m going to meet my boss." Harry looked at her she was chewing gum and talking rather loud. He could remember how he had met her last year and how she had been cool to him, now it was more like she was hot. "Well, at least one of us looks good in muggle cloths." Harry said as he turned from her and kept walking.  
  
"Well, thanks, Harry. Be careful when you say things like that, some girls might get flattered by that kind of talk," Tonks said trying to embarrass him. Harry didn(t reply he didn(t say anything for the next hundred feet. "Alright, Harry, I get the point. No talking about girls. I am one you know."  
  
Harry looked at her opened his mouth to say something. Then turned back and continued down the road. "Tonks I wouldn(t know what to say," Harry said as his head sank a little and he walked down the road kicking the small rocks that he came across.  
  
"Perhaps in time you might think me trustworthy enough to share," Tonks said as she kicked a rock way ahead of them.  
  
"It(s not like I don(t trust you. I(m just not sure I trust myself. I can(t even talk to girls my own age," Harry said as they strolled into the park. There were very few people in the park and Harry was glad about that. He didn(t want people talking about him walking with Tonks. "Oh, so you can(t talk to Hermione, or Ginny," Tonks said as she slowed her pace to Harry(s. "Hermione(s different. She(s been my friend for ages. I sure she doesn(t see me like that. I don(t know about Ginny. She used to be nuts about me and now it seems like she has no interest." Harry looked up to the pale blue skies, watching a small sparrow fly from tree to tree. "I couldn(t get through one date with her."  
  
"Harry, I wouldn(t even consider that a real date. To me it seems she took you along as a shoulder. Take me for example, You(re a nice guy and me and the rest of the female population understands that at a glance. It(s in your aura. Most will want to be your friend and will do everything to keep it that way. Unfortunately, to you it feels like their not interested in you." Tonks stopped talking and walking, realizing what she had said. "Harry, I don(t know everything. I(m twenty something and I don(t have a steady guy, and haven(t for a while. If you were older I would be doing by best to take the competition out of the way." Tonks shout her mouth and started to walk again. She was thinking hard about what she had said. "But I want to be your friend. Yes friends."  
  
*I got friend all the friends in the world.* Harry stepped his pace up and didn(t say a word for the next ten minutes. They were nearly there. He had been reviewing what Ginny had written to him and mixing it with what Tonks had said. Then he stopped dead in his tracks and shook his head. *No, more, no more.* the Phil Collins song was now playing in his head. He didn(t know were it was coming from but the words were raging in his mind. "No, more." The words crept out of his mouth Tonks stopped too.  
  
"What was that Harry?" Tonks requested.  
  
"Nothing. Just the song in my head."  
  
"I hate when I get songs stuck in my head. I was on duty at the Order last week and some muggle walked by the head quarters with his radio blaring. I took me two days to get the song out of my head. The worst thing is I liked the song the first twenty times I sang it in my head." Tonks looked at the map. (I think that(s the place over there.( She pointed to this old mansion half way up on a large hill. I had to be a three hundred years old but very well maintained. (See the hedges over there? When you get done that is where I(ll be hiding. If you need any help just say my name four times real fast." Tonks said as she started across the street with Harry.  
  
Harry followed as he studied the house. There were hedges everywhere. The hedge that Tonks had pointed to was an enormous green oval. Harry wasn(t sure how she was going to hide their, but knew that if anybody could she would be able to hide there with out a problem.  
  
The front walk was well kept. The hedges that lined the walk were in perfect shape. He thought that this was going to be an easy job. He raised his hand to use the door knocker, when the door suddenly opened. The man, in a fine suit opened the door and stared Harry up and down. "Mr. Potter, I presume."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Very good Mr. Johnson had to leave. You are to meet Mrs. Johnson. She is in the back. Please follow me." Harry followed the butler to the back. The house was enormous. He thought that it had to have twenty bedrooms.  
  
"Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Harry Potter." The butler said in a mellow tone.  
  
Mrs. Johnson got up from her chair and looked straight at him. (Alan said that you were a scrawny fellow and he wasn(t wrong," Mrs. Johnson said as she glared at him. "I hope your not afraid to get dirty. You seem fine to me. You not some kind of nut case are you? I don(t think that Vernon(s nephew could a nut case." "No ma(am" Harry said as clearly as he could.  
  
"Come over here then," She said as she took a drag of her cigarette that was held from her long slender cigarette holder, which remind his of Cruela Deville , but so far not as mean. Harry(s mind wasn(t on what she was saying. He kept going back to the letter that Ginny had written.  
  
She opened the swinging glass doorway that opened to the back garden. "Over here on the left is were we(re going to be installing the rock garden. So the first thing that you will have to do is dig up the hedges over there. Our gardener Mitch will be here at six in the morning and you will end your day at two. Here in a few days the heat will make it really impossible to do heavy labor and I like my garden quite in the after noon when, well, I just don(t want anyone around in the afternoon. Your uncle says that you need a minimum of a hundred ponds a month. But judging by your clothes I will make it a hundred and fifty. Don(t wear those rags here tomorrow."  
  
"Yes ma(am, I was on my was way to the shop to buy some new clothes." "Very good. I(ll tell Alan that you(ll do just fine. Please leave me."  
  
Harry turned and headed the way back that he just came from. The hallway back to the front door was huge almost as tall as the main entrance at Hogwarts. It(s stairs and walls were in perfect shape. Tremendous amounts of care were paid to this home. The long stairs curled around and swept back and forth through the four levels of the house. As Harry made it to the front door Harry spotted something that he hadn(t seen before. To him it was a girl about the same age as he. He didn(t even move slightly to acknowledge that she was there. He just continued out the door and headed to the corner and waited for Tonks to join him.  
  
"Everything go well," She asked as she caught up with him.  
  
Harry looked at her she must have been bored because her hair was green now. "Brown looks better." Tonks looked at Harry. "So does green. It(s my hair."  
  
Harry shook his head. "Do you have any idea were the closest store is? I got to get some clothes. I can(t stand these anymore."  
***** Hedwig landed on her bed once again this time she was bone tired. Ginny wasn(t in the room as of yet. Ginny opened her door and instantly spotted Hedwig sitting on her bed. "Hi, Hedwig.( Ginny walked over and noticed that the parchment was waded up, and ripped. She took the letter and unwadded it, then laid down on the bed beside Hedwig. She quickly read the letter. She laid in her bed thinking about what she had to write. After a few minute of contemplating she sat back as the desk.  
  
Harry, I(m glad that you have confided in me. Well, first thing, you still should have asked. Neville and I went together out of friendship. We made the promise that if no one asked either of us, we would go together. He was deathly afraid to ask anyone. He was so scared he wouldn(t even hug me. Most of the night he talked about how you didn(t treat him like a git, Harry. Harry, you have nothing to be afraid of. I think most of the girls at school are too afraid to talk to you. I really wish we could talk face to face. Letters are hard. I(ve got about a million things running through my mind and I don(t know what to put down. I really wish I was able to see you. It would be so much easier to talk to you. When you go to sleep tonight think of when you were a baby and you mother kissed you good night. I don(t know if it(s going to help but you might want to think about how we stood together to fight the Death Eaters. We stood behind you, Harry. We always will. Love Ginny  
  
Hedwig flapped off the bed and landed on the parchment and took off carrying it tightly in her talons. Then she realized what she had just done. Ginny screamed. *Great what(s he going to think? I(ve still got some school girl crush.* Ginny stormed out of her room and head right for the ice box.  
  
"Mom, do we have any chocolate."  
  
Molly turned around to see Ginny all worried. "What(s wrong dear."  
  
"Nothing mom."  
  
Molly knew right away it was boy trouble. "Don(t worry dear. Just don(t overreact."  
  
Ginny wrinkled her face and went out in the back yard. Pigwigdeon swooped down and dropped Hermione(s reply. Ginny, To say the least I(m not surprised. Hedwig is a really smart bird and I think she can tell what Harry(s feeling. As far as him writing you I(m not surprised. I think you should write him as much as you can. You know what it(s like to be used by Voldemort. I don(t know much of what to tell you. Like you I too had a crush on him in my first year. After all he is Harry Potter. But then the fame thing wore off and being friends with him made me so happy. He would protect me when even Ron wasn(t being so nice or Malfoy was at his worst. Whatever you do just be careful. From what it sounds like he(s searching.  
  
Your friend and some day sister-in-law, Hermione.  
  
*God, I swear she keeps getting smarter.* Ginny walked to the backyard. Ron was still on his broom and was practicing Quidditch still. He had been up there for four hours. Ginny watched him for a few minutes. "Ron, can you stop for a minute?" Ron flew down in a whirl. And landed with a zip.  
  
"Er.. What up, Gin?" Ron tossed his gloves to the ground.  
  
"Don(t get mad, promise me."  
  
"Er.. Alright." Ron said  
  
"You help get Harry out of there, I really have to see him."  
  
"What, why is it so important that you se him?" Ron was dumbfounded.  
  
"Ron, just take my word for it. I need to see him."  
  
"Give me some time I(m sure I could get mom to carry us and Harry to Diagon Alley." "Think Ron I could figure that one out on my own. I want to be alone with him. There are a few things that we have to talk." Ginny pleaded with Ron.  
  
"Just-"  
  
"No, Ron you(re the best thinker I know, if there is away. You will be able to think of it, or maybe your only good at chess."  
  
"Chill sis. I(ve got a few ideas, but I have to talk to Harry first." Ginny(s jaw dropped as she could believe he said that.  
  
"Forget it." Ginny stormed off running into the house and up to her room were she locked the door, and ran to her bed.  
  
4 "Tell you what, Harry," Tonks said as they crossed the road back towards the Dursleys. "Mad Eye is supposed to be relieving me at in an hour. I(ll talk to him and see if he knows where you can go to get some cloths."  
  
"Forget it." Harry said as he walked a little ahead of her, not wanting to look her in the face. The thought of having to be guarded all the time was starting to drive him crazy. "Does this mean that while I(m at work there will be someone shadowing my every move?"  
  
"Basically yes. what time are you to be there in the morning?" Tonks asked as she turned her hair back to brown. Harry noticed but didn(t say anything. Harry didn(t want to talk anymore. He didn(t like the idea of having to be watched like a puppy.  
  
"I hear you want to be an Auror."  
  
"I(ve been thinking about it." "Can I give you some advise," Tonks asked as she picked up her pace.  
  
"Do I have a choice." Harry didn(t look at her.  
  
"Have you thought about your choices very much?" Tonks asked as she grabbed him by the arm and turned him towards her.  
  
"When do you think I(ve had time to think about what I want to do? Most of the freaking time I have to think about who the heck that freak is out there trying to kill. He(s freaking nuts. He goes through all this damn trouble to find out a prophecy about me. I don(t know what the heck I want. Auror was just there. I have no freaking idea what I want to be. Why don(t you go live your freaking life and leave me the heck alone.." Harry tore off running from her. His head was hurting and he was hungry. Then he heard a popping sound right in front of him, and there she was right in front of him. He nearly slammed right into her. "Just slow down, Harry. I(m not trying to upset you."  
  
"I don(t know. I don(t want to talk about it now." Harry was standing face to face with her staring directly at him.  
  
"Do you know what I think you should teach? Like you taught your friends. Auror sounds like a big job and I(m sure that you would be one of the best that there ever was but think about what you did." Tonks knew what he need but she wasn(t sure what to do about it. She stepped to the side and started to walk again.  
  
"Yes, I nearly got some of my best fiends killed." Harry said as he followed behind her.  
  
"From what I hear you(ve taken Neville and given him courage. You got people from all over Hogwarts to stand together in the face of the enemy. Some of them were upset that you didn(t get all of them together to help. Cho was screaming at Snape. You taught them to stand up for themselves." Harry had heard what she was saying but didn(t see her point of view. "I don(t want people to dying for me."  
  
"They don(t want to die for you, they want to fight the dark side. Harry, did you know that all of your student have all said that they wanted to Aurors. When I graduated there were only two of us that wanted to be Aurors."  
  
Harry stopped and looked at her as she stopped and turned back to him. "Thanks Tonks." Harry started up again and caught up to her again.  
  
Harry stayed silent for the rest of the walk back. Moody was sitting at the edge of the street waiting for them to return. Tonks asked Mad Eye to take Harry shopping. He refused and said that it wouldn(t be possible at night.  
  
"When you get upstairs send Dobby off to get you some new clothes. Me and Harry have a lot more important things to do tonight. He has to learn to defend himself in battle. We will only be able to protect him for so long. I expect you to be in the Dursleys backyard in an hour. Miss Figg will be helping with tonight(s lesson." Harry looked up to Moody. He was only four inches taller than him but had him by fifty pounds. "Good night Tonks, may the Phoenix watch over you."  
  
"Bye, Tonks. Thanks for everything." Harry said smiling at Tonks. She walked between the house and apparated away.  
  
"One hour, Harry, and make sure you get some real food." Mad Eye left Harry and headed over to Mrs. Figg(s house. Harry ran into the Dursleys house, everybody was still in the living room watching TV. Harry hurried by them and headed for the kitchen. "Harry, I put a plate of food in the fridge for you. Vernon said that you will need you strength for work. Your owl has been upstairs making a huge ruckus. Go up there and shut it up before you eat. Make sure you have the dishes done before bed. You will be doing your normal chores around the house."  
  
"Yes, aunt." Harry ran upstairs to find Dobby jumping on his bed just as he had nearly a year ago. "Dobby, get down. You(re driving my aunt crazy." (Hedwig got two letters for you. I had regular owls take the letter and the one to Professor Snape I delivered myself. He said shut your little pie hole and that if the headmaster wishes he will teach you, and that there is a large difference between hating and dislike. Just stay out of his memories. He added a lot of swear words but I can(t say them to my friend."  
  
"Thanks, Dobby, you didn(t have to take my letter."  
  
"Si-Harry, Dumbledore wishes me to deliver all your mail to him or anyone else in the order, sir. Sorry, Harry." 


End file.
